The present invention relates generally to dimming interface circuitry for electronic ballasts. More particularly, the present invention relates to various embodiments of a zone addressing circuit which detects input signal combinations from external sensors to control dimming levels for electronic ballasts.
Various systems and methods are presently available in the art for controlling dimming levels for electric light sources based on environmental conditions such as detected level of ambient light or occupancy in a given area. However, these systems and methods all too often cancel out beneficial cost savings by their very complexity. Interfaces are provided to the electronic ballasts that perform the dimming operation, adding installation and maintenance costs, and further often requiring external power in order to function properly. In addition, these interfaces can damage the electronic ballast itself when they are inadvertently connected to a mains power source during installation.